arrondissement

American  

[uh-ron-dis-muhnt, ar-uhn-dees-, a-rawn-dees-mahn] / əˈrɒn dɪs mənt, ˌær ənˈdis-, a rɔ̃ disˈmɑ̃ /

noun

arrondissements plural

1. the largest administrative division of a French department, comprising a number of cantons.

2. an administrative district of certain large cities in France.

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arrondissement British  

/ arɔ̃dismɑ̃ /

noun

1. the largest administrative subdivision of a department

2. a municipal district of certain cities, esp Paris

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• arrondissements
  plural

Etymology

Origin of arrondissement

1800–10; < French, equivalent to arrondiss- (variant stem of arrondir to round out; see a- ⁵, round ¹) + -ment -ment